Read Online When Fate Dictates by Elizabeth Marshall - Free Book Online
Authors: Elizabeth Marshall
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asked,
my voice trembling and low.
“I have no choice. Either I see him dead or
he will see me dead. I know which one I prefer.” he said
gravely.
“But why Africa, Simon? It’s so far away,
can’t we just go to France?”
He shook his head. “No, France is not an
option for me. I am a soldier of the English King and that won’t
hold much sway in France.”
“Are you a sailor then?” I asked,
confused.
“No lass, I am not a sailor but my father is,
and this man Marshall knows my father.”
“But you told him we were Mr. and Mrs.
Brun.”
“I told him I had sailed with my father, as a
hand on one of his ships. He doesn’t know we are related. My pa has
stories aplenty to cover his adventures at sea and I only needed to
repeat a few details from one to have the man take me seriously. It
was an easy story to tell.”
“What would you do on the ship then, if you
can’t really sail?”
“Well that is the beauty of it. Mr. Marshall
isn’t looking for a sailor but a negotiator, so as long as our
captain doesn’t die then we will be fine. What I am really needed
for is to keep an eye on some cargo and keep the captain’s eyes off
it.”
I cocked my eyebrows in suspicion. “I think
that the goods you are to sail with and sell are not legal?”
He smiled across the table at me. “And I
think, wee Corran, that you are quick to catch on.”
“Simon, exactly what will I do on this ship?”
I asked.
“Ahh, well...” he said, as though he was not
quite sure what to say to me. “You will act as my wife,” he said
simply.
Far from satisfied with this answer, I tried
again. “Exactly what is that going to entail?”
He raised his eyebrows and shrugged his
shoulders. “I don’t know for sure, but there is never a shortage of
jobs on board ship. The women folk usually tend to the sick, so I
guess you will be able to give a hand with that.”
I nodded, slightly more satisfied with this
reply. Simon raised his arm and kneaded the muscles at the back of
his neck. “I have something to do and I must do it tonight.” His
look told me what it was he had to do.
“Are you going to find the man with the
copper hair?” I asked, my eyes wide with fear and concern. “What if
you get hurt Simon, or what if there are more than just that
red-haired one here?”
“He is the only one we need fear now. I will
sort it Corran, don’t worry, I promise you it will be fine.”
Unconvinced I shook my head, sickening panic
filling the pit of my stomach. “No, Simon, please don’t do it,
there must be another way.”
“I don’t want to do it but whilst he is alive
we will never be safe. I have no choice in the matter.” He pulled
out his dirk and held it steady in his hand for a few moments.
“It won’t be painful lass, he won’t know a
thing of it, I promise.”
He put his coat on and made to leave, and I
watched in fear as he closed the door. I whispered softly, “I love
you Simon.”
Seconds later the door opened a crack and he
popped his head around the opening, the hint of a smile on his
lips. “I told you before Corran, you love too easily.”
******
CHAPTER 7
Again I was alone in the stone walled room. I
opened the shutters a crack and watched the street below. Night had
fallen and with it the fervent activity of the city had declined. I
could hear the ramblings of the tavern folk and the cries of the
beggars but all I wanted to hear was the sound of Simon’s footsteps
on the landing outside our room. Hours passed and still he did not
return. I closed the shutters and went downstairs to order two
bowls of soup and a jug of ale, which I took back up to our room.
They sat on the table untouched. I stoked the fire, wrapped myself
in my plaid and curled up on the hearth, praying that God would
send him safely back to me. I was awoken by a flurry of activity on
the street outside the bedroom window. I ran to the shutters,
flinging them open to see what was going on.
A man shouted but I
my voice trembling and low.
“I have no choice. Either I see him dead or
he will see me dead. I know which one I prefer.” he said
gravely.
“But why Africa, Simon? It’s so far away,
can’t we just go to France?”
He shook his head. “No, France is not an
option for me. I am a soldier of the English King and that won’t
hold much sway in France.”
“Are you a sailor then?” I asked,
confused.
“No lass, I am not a sailor but my father is,
and this man Marshall knows my father.”
“But you told him we were Mr. and Mrs.
Brun.”
“I told him I had sailed with my father, as a
hand on one of his ships. He doesn’t know we are related. My pa has
stories aplenty to cover his adventures at sea and I only needed to
repeat a few details from one to have the man take me seriously. It
was an easy story to tell.”
“What would you do on the ship then, if you
can’t really sail?”
“Well that is the beauty of it. Mr. Marshall
isn’t looking for a sailor but a negotiator, so as long as our
captain doesn’t die then we will be fine. What I am really needed
for is to keep an eye on some cargo and keep the captain’s eyes off
it.”
I cocked my eyebrows in suspicion. “I think
that the goods you are to sail with and sell are not legal?”
He smiled across the table at me. “And I
think, wee Corran, that you are quick to catch on.”
“Simon, exactly what will I do on this ship?”
I asked.
“Ahh, well...” he said, as though he was not
quite sure what to say to me. “You will act as my wife,” he said
simply.
Far from satisfied with this answer, I tried
again. “Exactly what is that going to entail?”
He raised his eyebrows and shrugged his
shoulders. “I don’t know for sure, but there is never a shortage of
jobs on board ship. The women folk usually tend to the sick, so I
guess you will be able to give a hand with that.”
I nodded, slightly more satisfied with this
reply. Simon raised his arm and kneaded the muscles at the back of
his neck. “I have something to do and I must do it tonight.” His
look told me what it was he had to do.
“Are you going to find the man with the
copper hair?” I asked, my eyes wide with fear and concern. “What if
you get hurt Simon, or what if there are more than just that
red-haired one here?”
“He is the only one we need fear now. I will
sort it Corran, don’t worry, I promise you it will be fine.”
Unconvinced I shook my head, sickening panic
filling the pit of my stomach. “No, Simon, please don’t do it,
there must be another way.”
“I don’t want to do it but whilst he is alive
we will never be safe. I have no choice in the matter.” He pulled
out his dirk and held it steady in his hand for a few moments.
“It won’t be painful lass, he won’t know a
thing of it, I promise.”
He put his coat on and made to leave, and I
watched in fear as he closed the door. I whispered softly, “I love
you Simon.”
Seconds later the door opened a crack and he
popped his head around the opening, the hint of a smile on his
lips. “I told you before Corran, you love too easily.”
******
CHAPTER 7
Again I was alone in the stone walled room. I
opened the shutters a crack and watched the street below. Night had
fallen and with it the fervent activity of the city had declined. I
could hear the ramblings of the tavern folk and the cries of the
beggars but all I wanted to hear was the sound of Simon’s footsteps
on the landing outside our room. Hours passed and still he did not
return. I closed the shutters and went downstairs to order two
bowls of soup and a jug of ale, which I took back up to our room.
They sat on the table untouched. I stoked the fire, wrapped myself
in my plaid and curled up on the hearth, praying that God would
send him safely back to me. I was awoken by a flurry of activity on
the street outside the bedroom window. I ran to the shutters,
flinging them open to see what was going on.
A man shouted but I
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